Rocking the cradle Catholics

Patricia Feenan was a 'cradle Catholic' with a strong loyalty to the Church.

Learning of her son's sexual abuse by the parish priest, a family friend, shattered her world and rocked her faith in the Church.

The launch of her book Holy Hell in late 2012, prompted ABC's Lateline interview with (then) Detective Sergeant Peter Fox, whose allegations into the handling of child sex abuse cases triggered the Royal Inquiry into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Michelle Mulvihill's family Sunday lunches were regularly attended by a half dozen young priests, so it was no surprise when, as a psychologist, she worked with the Catholic Church's Toward's Healing program as a mediator/facilitator.

Deeply dissatisfied with the process, Dr Mulvihill withdrew her services and has worked as an independent consultant to dioceses, religious orders and victims of child sexual abuse. She is a contributor to Sexual Abuse, Society and the Future of the Church, Interface, Vol. 16, 2013.

Guests

Mrs Patricia Feenan

Mother of four sons, a grandmother and teacher, she decided to write Holy Hell as a testament to her eldest son’s courage in giving evidence against a paedophile priest. Raised in a traditional Catholic family, she was totally unprepared for the shock of denial and ostracism by the church community. An advocate for victims of clergy sexual abuse, she is committed to making sure that her family’s lonely experience will never be repeated.

Dr Michelle Mulvihill

Counselling and Organisation Psychologist and Director of the Corpsych Australia, an organisational development company based in Sydney working in the not-for-profit sector.For ten years Michelle worked with dioceses and religious orders in Australian around issues of properly engaging with victims of child sexual abuse, and she has met with hundreds of victims, their families and their advocates in Australia and New Zealand.

Further Information

Credits

Comments (14)

Terry Cobby :

16 Jun 2013 6:25:43pm

I have been following this crisis closely since the Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa Video disclosure a few days before the resignation of Benedict XVI. I had for years been vaguely aware that there was an undercurrent of sexual abuse within the religious institutions and amongst priests but thought it was Protestant or anti-church propaganda> Really I didn't want to entertain any thoughts of there being truth in the allegations.

When confronted with Mea Maxima Culpa and the media reports of sexual abuse and the RC Church hierarchies inept handling of the complaints and justice for the victims I suffered a degree trauma I can only equate with my PTSD as a result of Vietnam War experience.

The Church I had believed in since childhood, and the perception that the Pope Bishops and priests were the arbiters of truth and morals was completely shattered. Before and since then I have been reading a great deal n Church history and its manipulation of power and authority to demand absolute, unquestioned adherence of believers through the power of forgiveness or refusal to forgive sins and excommunication which would result in eternal damnation. Yet this same authority deals with truth and justice to suit its own ends, I find it very hard to maintain any faith in the institution of the Church or its leaders.

The interviews on Rocking the Cradle have affirmed that we as catholics are suffering a serious trauma to the very core of our beliefs in the Pope, The RC Church and even the Church's teachings on God. Unless the Church leadership drastically changes its approach:1. To the promulgation of Jesus' Good News that we are all children of the same God who is Unconditional Love and as such we are all one in our existence and life with God and one another, given life to incarnate the Love, in which we all exist, for each other and for all things2. The hierarchy are servants of the People of God and with all of us are growing in relationship with each other and the God in whom we live, move and have our being3. Abandons the feudal closed structure of the Church and does away with its demand for belief in its infallibility regarding faith and morals which it has proved by its own conduct it cannot be trusted.

I firmly believe the churches RC and other Christian denominations will continue to empty and Christianity will become the same as the religion of the Inca, Mayan, Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations. The whole edifice will crumble around our ears.

The result will be us left with belief in the God who is Immanent but infinitely beyond who is our Source, Being, Life and End in whom we can absolutely trust.

Radio National, and Rachel Khon keep up your marvellous work in educating the public. Thank you,Terry

I'm a Bishop in the Catholic Church and I'm asking for your help to rid the church of the causes of sexual abuse, for good.

Sign my Petition

Henry — I have sat and listened to many stories of horrific sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, stories that made me ashamed to be a priest and a Catholic. I have listened to people whose lives have been ruined and I have felt a sadness and horror I cannot put into words. I have spent time with people close to suicide and I have watched the moving struggle of others trying to put their lives together again.As a young teenager I was abused myself and I hope this makes me more sensitive. What's happened within our Church has been nothing short of a catastrophe. Only the annihilation of the causes of this abuse will do, so that this can never happen again.And there's a real chance right now that we can begin this process. Media attention is focussed more than ever before on getting answers. A Royal Commission is underway. And the new Pope has promised to listen more. That's why I've started a petition on change.org calling on Pope Francis to convene a full council of the church on this issue -- and finally begin an open, transparent process to identify and remove the causes of this abuse.Will you add your name to my petition?Almost two decades ago I helped set up some of the Church's first responses to this issue -- and I knew then and know now that this was only the beginning.I have felt the disapproval of authorities in the Church when I tried speaking out. But they will not be able to simply ignore the message any longer if enough of you join me and stand with thousands of other Catholics and victims of abuse. I still believe in the great beauty of the Church. It's sustained me through the worst of this ugliness. Now I have hope that we can truly confront the horror of this abuse and ensure it never happens again. Please join my petition to Pope Francis demanding a full council of the Church to address sexual abuse.Thanks for being with me,Bishop Geoffrey Robinson

Simon Day :

paul griffin :

17 Jun 2013 4:14:21am

A chilling insight into the inevitable disintegration of the institutions of the past Piscean age. Those abandoning ship are the sensible ones. Meanwhile on the opposite horizon, the 'Happiness and its Causes' conference begins this week.

Thomas :

17 Jun 2013 10:38:48am

Thank you for your program. I was wondering if there was a link to the publisher of this book.

I found the sensitivity of the interview and the response to be very powerful. While I have not had such a history in my life, I know people who have. It's striking to hear just what is involved with such prey activity on children who then need to have so much courage to move forward while acknowledging pain while putting the law's restitution in place.

What struck me was at the end of the program when a priest passed the manuscript back saying that every priest should read the work.

Karen Rigby :

17 Jun 2013 4:27:32pm

http://atfpress.com/atf-theology.html

Thomas you can download this book online at this address. ANYONE interested in this topic should read this, especially the Opening Chapter by Dr Michelle Mulvihill. It makes amazing sense and should be a book in its own right.

Patrick McGonachie :

17 Jun 2013 4:42:20pm

Thank you Rachael, for this most amazing program. I turned it on thinking this might be just "more of the same", however it was different and enlightening!Patricia Feenan's interview was a ripper and she should be highly praised for her work and her courage.Michelle Mulvihill's piece was a cracker! As a fellow psychologist, I understand that when one has an "imperative" to speak out about an issue, you can put a lot on the line. He wide knowledge of this field is outstanding and I hope to hear more from her. I have downloaded her article today, and I must say that it, too, is a cracker. It is a relentless pursuit of truth, woven through her experience, in a compassionate and insightful manner. I would recommend reading both these books to anyone who wishes for insight in a readable way. Keep up the good work ABC RN!

Aurora :

18 Jun 2013 2:11:56pm

I agree with you Thomas -Well done Rachel, what a sensitive look at a traumatic issue. Patricia, I commend you for your courage in speaking out. You are fighting not just for your beautiful son, but for all those who cannot speak out. Thank you for this, it is so important.I also agree with the sentiment raised in these comments, and by Patricia, who speak of also being traumatised by the abuse in the Church, although they themselves were not abused. We need to look into this more. We are social beings, deeply affected by those around us.I wish strength and courage to us all.

Trish Martin :

19 Jun 2013 12:19:16pm

Congratulations to Radio National for giving us this program. If it were not for the courage of people like Patricia Feenan and Dr. Michelle Mulvihil this terrible state of affairs would continue and the Catholic hierarchy would still live in its false state of utopia. I have spent years trying to make sense of my childhood trauma and still struggle to understand how the Church came to portray a God that is so very different from the visible living God of Jesus of Nazareth. I pray that Bishop Geoffrey Robinson has every success in his call for change (change.org).

Robert Kingston :

19 Jun 2013 1:04:35pm

Dear Rachael,

Very interesting interview with Michelle Mulvihill. During the program I thought I heard her ask a question.. Is it true that in Victoria 800 priests have committed offences..? or something like that.. Can you confirm the validity of this or refer me to where I might be able to confirm or clarify, this extraordinary statistic.

love your work kind regards Robert

Moderator: Michelle apologises for the mistake. It was 800+ complainants from the Victorian inquiry that she was thinking of.

Peter Mills :

19 Jun 2013 1:06:00pm

i have often been critical of what i perceive as your lack of critical inquiry of religious and spiritual figures. however, your heart-wrenching account of abuse and the utter denial of the catholic church was gobsmacking. good on you and your wonderful guests.

Jenny Maguire :

22 Jun 2013 4:36:04pm

I have just listened to the Podcast of your recent interview. Pat Feenan is a courageous woman. I was really taken with Dr Mulvihill's interview. We have heard so little from the psychology profession. Why isn't she speaking about this expert topic around Australia? I hope we all get to hear so much more from this dynamic speaker.

Dr. Wayne Chamley :

24 Jun 2013 10:21:06am

Rachel Kohn - I listened to your program with interest. It was well presented although I am surprised that no mention was made of the fact that James Fletcher first appealed his conviction to the NSW Court of Appeal and he lost. He then mounted an appeal to the High Court of Australia and I understand that this is still going despite his being deceased. While Det. Fox when he appeared on the ABC 7.30 report, did provide the last impetus for a National Royal Commission, other persons had been active active on this front for years. I personally started to call for a Royal Commission about 16 years ago, at public meetings, in submissions to Senate inquiries, public forums, Opinion articles etc. I did an interview with Fran Kelly about one month before, and with Jon Faine about two days before the PMs announcement. I regard the PMs courageous decision was a very female response and I think that the questiuon might be asked - Would any male political leader have responded in this way? Remember only about 48 hours before the announcement Mr Joe Hockey and Mr Bill Shorten (each schooled in a catholic school) responded that a Royal commission was not required